Stacking containers



Dec. 25, 1962 A. BoJANowsKl 3,070257 inite States 3,07025? Patented Dec. 25, 1962 3,070,257 STACKING CONTAINERS Alex Bojanowshi, 16267 Carli-sle Drive, Detroit, Mich. Filed May 19, 1961, Ser. No. 111,270 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-97) This invention relates to cylindrical containers and particularly to cans having a unique end configuration which allows them to be stacked one on top of another with increased stability in an aligned manner as is often done in market displays.

In view of the common use of stacked cans in consumer displays and the lack of stability of these displays, it has been proposed to provide cans and similar containers with end configurations which allow the cans to interlock when they are stacked above one another in a Vertical relationship in such a manner as to increase the stability of the display and the height to which the display may be made. Such end configurations have not proven commercially Successful. It is believed that one of the reasons for their failure to find acceptance have been the nature of the configurations utilized which require a careful alignment of two cans before the interlocking takes place and the fact that many of these configurations increase the instability of the stack if the proper alignment is not made.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cylindrical container such as a metal can which has an end configuration which naturally falls into interlocking alignment when the cans are stacked end to end. 'The present invention achieves this object and others which will be subsequently noted through use of an end configuration which is extremely economical to employ as it utilizes no deep draws of the metal and adds almost nothing to the cost of the can beyond the expense of the pressng operation.

The configuration broadly takes the form of a plurality of wedge-shaped Sections radating from a common center. Alternate sections are inclined with respect to the horizontal in opposed attitudes so as to form a circular sawtooth pattern which reaches its peaks and crests at the line of intersection of two adjacent Sections. Thus, one line of intersection is raised and the two adjacent lines of intersection are lowered with respect to the normal plane of the can end. When two cans employing this end configuration are stacked, the inclined planes of the lower can cause the top can to slide into an aligned relationship wherein the extended corners of one can fit into the recessed sections of the other can. A grooved edge is also provided as in normal cans to allow a regular opener to be utilized. The peaked edges also provide a suflicient area of contact for stacking the cans on a plane surface without excess stresses occurring.

Other objects, advantages, and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of two embodiments of the invention. The descriptions make reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of a can employing a configuration in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a can taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and partially broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view in the plane of the top taken along lines 6- 6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a section of the top configuration illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6- 6 of FIGURE 5.

- their radial alignment.

The invention may be utilized in connection with a normal cylindrical can as is formed of tim-plated steel or aluminum. The cylindrical can side walls 10 are enclosed at each end by circular walls, generally indicated at 12, which embody the unique stacking configuration of the invention.

Each end section 12 is characterized by a circle of flat, wedged-shaped Sections 14 which radiate from a common point 16 at the center of the sheet and are defined by straight radial lines 18. As may best be seen in FIG- URES 3 and 4, the lines 18 meet at a common center 16 and diverge from the imaginary plane through the point perpendicular to the can side walls 10 as they radiate from the center. Alternate lines 18 diverge from this common plane in opposite directions by just a few degrees so as to form a repeating series of peaks and crests,. as may best be seen in FIGURE 3.

The lines 18 which diverge from the plane normal to the extension of the side walls 10 in a direction away from the body of the can all terminate at their radially outer ends at a circle which has a slightly Smaller diameter than the circle which defines the termination of those lines 18 which diverge in the direction of the body of the can. A series of sloping faces 20 join these two circles so as to form a uniform configuration.

Radially ontward of the termination. of the inclined faces 20, an annular trough 22 is formed which has as its outer sidewall the normal twisted joinder of the side wall li; and the end configurations 12. This trough 22 allows a normal can opener to be employed with the unique end configuration.

When two cans employing the end configuration of the embodiment of FIGURE l are stacked end to end, they will almost invariably slide into an interlocked position wherein the depressions of one set of end configurations mate with the extensions of the other set. This occurs because the lines 13, when supported on the flat, wedged Sections 14 do not produce a Stable configuration. This interlocking relationship occurs as long as the cans are stacked in cylindrical alignment and independently of The force of gravity causes the upper can to rotate With respect to the lower can until the end configurations are in locking alignment.

FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the present invention. A can having a normal side configuration 26 is provided with ends generally indicated at 28. These ends are formed of a plurality of flat, wedge-shaped sections 30 defined by lines of intersection 32 which alternately are raised and lowered with respect to the normal plane of the ends 28. The wedge sections 30 terminate short of the center of the end at a circle 34, so as to define a flat central area 36.

This central area allows the price of the can or other identifying information to be imprinted or stamped on the can top where it is easily viewable. A radial groove outward of the end configuration has as its outer wall the crimped and bent joinder 40 between the top 23 and the sides 26. This alternative configuration provides all the advantages of the first embodiment and operates in an identical manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A container of the type described having a cylindrical side configuration and ends generally disposed in a plane normal to said side configuration, each end comprising: a plurality of flat, wedge-shaped Sections extending radially from a point on the intersection of the axis of said cylinder and the plane of said end section, each wedge extending substantially across a radius of the end, such wedge sections being defined by radially extending sharply defined lines, which form the line of intersection of pairs of adjacent wedges, alternate of said lines diverging from said normal plane in opposed directions; and an annular groove disposed radially outwardly from the terminations of said wedge sections havng an extension directed toward the side Walls of said can.

2. An end configuration for a can having a cylindrical body, said end extending normally to the axis of the cylindrical body, comprising: a plurality of radial lines sharply defined by intersecting plane sections spaced uniformly about said end and extending substantially across a radius of said end from a point substantially at the center of said end to a point radially inward of the extrem- 4 ity of said end, there being an even number of said lines, and alternate of said lines diverging from the plane of said end in opposing directions so as to define an even plurality of flat Sections alternate Sections being nelined with respect to the plane which is pcrpendicular to the axis of the can in opposed directions.

Hill June 18, 1878 Scott Feb. 11, 1958 

